a lot on this sub have supplements that flare them, so even though these personally worked with me they might be triggering for some. the desert harvest aloe is so expensive but every time I ran out and was dragging my feet not to order again, my symptoms started creeping back up until I re-ordered and they would start to calm down again. I haven't had to take it in over a year. (they don't sell on amazon)
https://www.desertharvest.com/Super-Strength-Aloe/
https://www.desertharvest.com/aloe-vera-recommended-dosage.html
Month One
6 capsules per day (3 in the morning / 3 in the evening). If you are symptom-free after 30 days, continue taking 6 capsules per day for the next 60 days. If you still have symptoms after the first 30 days, move to month two.
Month Two
9 capsules per day (3 in the morning / 3 in the afternoon / 3 in the evening). If you are symptom-free after 60 days, continue taking 9 capsules per day for month three. If you still have symptoms after month two, move to month three.
Month Three
12 capsules per day (4 in the morning / 4 in the afternoon / 4 in the evening). If symptoms do not respond within 3 months while following the 6/9/12 dosage recommendations, we assume that you are one of the 12.5% of patients who will not respond to aloe vera.
info from their site on aloe and IC:https://www.desertharvest.com/desert-harvest-aloe-vera-for-ic-bps.html
here was a recent post on reddit of someone asking about alternatives to the desert harvest, where I explained why its expensive and an IC dietician says its her choice as well. but two others take the inexpensive one without the stomach issues it can cause, I just don't know if they're getting the same relief even if they're not getting sick from it. https://www.reddit.com/r/Interstitialcystitis/comments/w7vdlv/does_it_matter_what_brand_aloe_vera_capsules_i/
ok here are the links to the other bladder coating stuff in addition to the aloe, but again, if you're on prescription meds then you really should consider not taking these as they can make your other stuff not get absorbed right! the bottle says wait at least one hour but I would try to take it on the opposite end of the clock from prescriptions, like 12 hours to be safe. and if you have an active UTI ever and are on antibiotics, then skip these while you finish your full antibiotic course because you could make it a less likely the right amount of antibiotics are getting into your system. same with birth control! ok end of disclaimer!
marshmallow root pills: https://www.amazon.com/Oregons-Wild-Harvest-Marshmallow-Supplements/dp/B007WU5Q3W?ref_=ast_sto_dp
slippery elm: https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Slippery-Elm-400mg-Capsules/dp/B0014UFVBI
In terms of my so-called healing journey I did weekly pelvic floor physical therapy with a talented PT, followed the IC diet religiously for more than a whole year, and I also took fish oil (solgar brand), vitamin d (source naturals), optizinc (source naturals) very good Greek oregano, non-acidic Vitamin C, and a supplement called Lauricidin that is derived from coconut and is super antimicrobial. and Culturelle brand "FemDophilus" probiotic, the refrigerated one.
The oregano, garlic, lauricidin, and d-mannose were to fight my recurrent infection. the FemDophilus probiotic was taken hours later so it wouldn't be damaged by the antimicrobials and would re-populate my gut. the zinc, vitamin c and vitamin d are very important for overall immune health, and there are studies showing zinc as an important tool against UTI. the fish oil is antiinflamatory and great for skin health, so that could have had something to do with healing my bladder lining.
FemDophilus (very best urinary-specific ProBiotic, especially important to repopulate microbiome if you go back on antibiotics, but probiotics flare some ICers on this sub; this one ships cold and stored in the fridge): https://jarrow.com/products/fem-dophilus-5-billion-cfu-veggie-caps-cool-ship
I’ve since learned a lot about mastic gum. It has anti-microbial action against multiple bacteria, as well as yeast and viruses. All of these micro-organisms form biofilms which allows them to evade your body’s immune system as well as some anti-biotics and antiFungals. The great thing about it is that it seems to do this while having a neutral effect on beneficial commensal bacteria like bifidobacterium and lactobacillus. You may want to try the mastic gum even if your test came back negative for h pylori
If your problem is a true Candida overgrowth then you should look into Lauricidin , or Monolaurin. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which your body converts into monolaurin. It was discovered by scientists looking into the components of breast milk. From the ages of birth until 6 months you have very few commensal bacteria in your gut to function as an immune system. The lauric acid in breast milk has strong anti-microbial properties to prevent you from getting infections. This extract is extremely potent against Candida as well as certain bacteria and viruses. Like the mastic gum, it should have very little effect on you beneficial commensal bacteria. Amazon carries it. Oregano oil extract has similar qualities. I have since added both of these to my supplement stack and it has helped tremendously. Just because I had h pylori doesn’t necessarily mean that it was causing my problems. Perhaps it was Candida or another bacteria that relies on biofilm for its defense. If I were you I would definitely experiment with those supplements a bit. In terms of diet, the best diet you can follow to lower inflammation in the digestive tract as well as the rest of the body, is called the low FODMAP diet. It reduces certain carbs that can cause inflammatory problems. If I were you I would encourage you bto experiment with those things.g